Cleveland Hopkins Airport preps for busy July 4 weekend
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Summer travel season is officially here with a potentially record-breaking weekend ahead.
Why it matters: Travelers could suffer through Cleveland Hopkins International Airport's notoriously long security lines and parking woes, especially during summer.
Driving the news: Hopkins predicts an 11% increase in passengers over the extended Fourth of July holiday week compared with the same stretch last year, according to Cleveland.com.
- May already saw a 9.35% increase in airport travelers compared with 2023 numbers, per a Hopkins spokesperson.
The big picture: Nearly 71 million people are expected to travel during the entire holiday week, AAA said yesterday.
- That means some 5.7 million more people will travel during the holiday period this year compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, making for congested roads and airports.
Be smart: Hopkins has struggled to keep up with surging passenger traffic as of late with security wait times running up to 90 minutes.
- The airport recommends arriving at least two hours before your flight during peak travel periods.
Yes, but: Airport parking, another headache in recent years, should be easier.
- Hopkins finished renovations last October on its Smart Parking Garage, which offers about 4,000 spaces.
- Last week, the airport debuted a parking garage reservation service where drivers can book spots online.
What they're saying: "While the popular travel period didn't kick off until the end of May, it definitely is contributing to our continued growth as we are poised to welcome 3.3 million guests from now until Labor Day," airport director of port control Bryant Francis said in a statement.
Zoom out: Hopkins predicts about 10.25 million passengers will travel through the airport in 2024, up from 9.9 million in 2023.
- Last December, the airport announced a $3 billion expansion project expected to begin in 2025.